No-ball saga: Dilshan instigated Randiv

New Delhi: The no-ball incident took another twist on Wednesday after Sri Lankan media blamed opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan to instruct Suraj Randiv to bowl a no-ball in order to deny Virender Sehwag a century.

According to Sri Lankan newspaper The Island, Dilshan, who was fielding at cover point, instructed Randiv in Sinhalese - if you want, you can bowl a no ball. Incidentally, both Dilshan and Sehwag, play for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League.

The controversy is also bringing in a lot of embarassment for the Lankan cricket board. Their mananger has completed the inquiry report and the board will meet on Wednesday to decide on whether to act against Randiv.

Sehwag was just one short of his 13th ODI hundred when Randiv, who had not bowled a no-ball in the Test or ODI series this season, bowled one which was hit by the opener for a six.

However, it did not count because the no ball amounted to India's winning run leaving Sehwag on an unbeaten 99.

Randiv's antics were also criticised by Sehwag in the post match press conference but the issue seems to be cooling off after the Lankan bowler offered apologies.

"Randiv came to my room and apologised," Sehwag wrote on his Twitter page.

India comprehensively won last night's match by six wickets but the conduct of the Sri Lankan team upset the visitors' camp.

Minutes after the game, a livid Sehwag told reporters that Sri Lanka had used such tactics earlier also, pointing out that they had left Sachin Tendulkar stranded at 99 with a similar strategy in a match in Cuttack.